Everyone's talking about swapping in the K24 into a CRX or Civic, but what about the R18 SOHC - the D series replacement?  

First, the R18 offers just as much power as the standard Acura B18, with even MORE torque.

Second, it gets GREAT fuel economy.

Third, I would safely assume it's a lot cheaper than a K24.

So, what about it, SCC?  Why not do an article on this more affordable swap for those, like me, who want more power, but better economy, and is cheaper because most of us don't have that kind of money to put out.
I would imagine the swap would be easier also.  

FYI, no one from the magazine ever reads the forums. The problem with the R-series swap is that there are no parts for it aside from the basics (intake, exhaust, etc.).  

Some of us would be happy with the engine completely stock.  But if they made aftermarket stuff for the D-series, I don't see why they won't do the same for the R-series.  Just a matter of time.  

And who knows? Maybe they will be more R-series parts sometime down the line. But until there are, I doubt we'll see a swap article of an R-series into an older Honda. Engine swaps are usually the beginning of a project car, not the end.  

Why not?  They've swapped in aK24 into a CRX.  And the CRX is OLD already.  Come on, guys, someone has to know somebody who does an R18 Swap.  

Not all of us can afford the K motor nor do we even want one, like me.  I'd rather have an R18 in my 4G Civic - power and economy, especially at today's gas prices.

Picture this - the new Civic comes standard w/the R18.  Now the new Civs are around 2700-2800 lbs.  And I've seen one move on the highway pretty nicely.

Now  a 4G Civ Hatch like mine weighs in at just under 2100 lbs.  That's 600 to 700 lbs LESS than the new 8G Civ!  

So what do you guys think an R18 can do in a lighter body Civ?  See my point?  Let's all help each other out here.  

Look at some of the millions of Honda forums online and see if anyone at those sites has attempted the swap. Even if they failed or got stuck somewhere, you can learn from their mistakes and get an idea of what is involved with it. Information from other swaps (like K-series and H-series) can be applicable to an R-swap, too. I don't know if they'll respond to any requests for information, but check out Hasport too since they are usually the ones to come up with a swap kit first.

I'm more of a Nissan guy than a Honda guy, but I'd guess an R-series would probably be slightly more difficult than the K-series swap mechanically. Since they inhabit the same engine bay in the new Civic, (assuming the engines are of similar dimensions) some of the parts like motor mounts may be the same and some of the techniques used in K-swaps could be applied to R-swaps. You will probably still run into some surprises, though. You'd also need to find out what pins mean what on the R-series wiring harness and match them up to the Civic/CRX harness, as well as figure out how to make the dash work. You'd probably need to update some of the other accessories too, like the fuel pump or steering knuckles, and may lose some, like A/C or power steering. Depending on your state's emissions laws, you might need to keep all the emissions-control devices on your engine and exhaust. Most states frown on engine swaps too, so be prepared for that. There's probably a lot of other stuff I'm missing, so make sure to do as much homework as you can before attempting an engine swap. Even "easy" swaps that have been done before (like KA24-to-SR20) can be fraught with problems.  

Thanks for the info.  However, I don't think the R18 swap would be more difficult than the K24.  The R18 obviously has the advantage in weight and simplicity since it is an SOHC motor.   I do think the wiring would be challenging though.  

Or, you could custom make your own bits and pieces?  All a turbo "kit" is is a turbo with the pre-made piping.  If you can get access to any kind of a mandrel bender, you're golden  

The main reason I'm saying the R-swap may be more difficult is because as far as I know, it hasn't been done before. There may still be some unknowns that will ultimately be up to you to figure out and fix. A couple of other words of advice:

-If the Civic is currently your only car, get a beater or arrange transportation somehow. If the project bogs down or stops, you'll be without wheels.

-Budget out how much you think the swap will cost, and add at least 10% to it. That will give you some headroom in case you run into problems.

-Find an online forum for Hondas that acutally gives a *** about performance instead of looks. Look for those who've done engine swaps before. Ask for advice and details, but always take it with a grain of salt.

-Order the factory manuals for your chassis and the swap donor direct from www.helminc.com. They make all the Honda factory manuals and they're cheaper than buying them from the dealership. It'll include the wiring diagrams.

If you do decide to go it on your own, then I wish you the best of luck and don't give up!  

I've done all that already.  As a matter of fact, I converted my 89 Civic DX from throttle body to Multi-Point Fuel Injection without mangling any of the wires.
I did my research online then found an article, of all places, Sports Compact Car and proceeded w/the swap.  I made my own wiring harness using an exisiting one from an Si, hooked up an Si ECU, Head, Cam and Intake Manifold and I gotta tell you, I haven't had one problem with it.  
I didn't take any shortcuts, I made it look like it was factory installed and I know you won't be able to tell the difference. So I guess I'll just wait til someone comes out with an article on the swap like...maybe...SPORT COMPACT CAR!!!  

Also, I think swapping in the R18 would be just like the K24.  Motor and trans mounts POSSIBLY the same as the K24. I think the hardest parts will be the wiring, the CV axles and shifter installation.

But the R18 isn't as tall as the K24 so there may be no need to get a custom hood, plus it's LIGHTER than the K24 AND the old 1.7L.  

There's a lot of advantages to having the R18 in a 4th, 5th and 6th Gen. Civic.  But let's start one in a 4G.  

Dude, join a site that's dedicated to 8G civics (8thcivic.com) and read about it there. It hasn't been done before, and I can tell you now that it's not just like swapping with the K24. Not even close.

You MIGHT have a prayer that the motor mounts are in the same location, but historically on the newer Honda's they haven't been.

Trans mounts, forget it.

I would wait a while before actually attempting this. There are going to be limited resources for ANY projects for the R18 for a while. Most aftermarket companies have made it pretty clear that the Si and FIT are coming before the R18 civics.

Overall I think you have a great idea and that's what tuning is all about; making something your own and repping it. I would just shop the parts for now and start saving for it. Trying to start a swap now is gonna cause you nothing but a lot of frustration and headaches. Give the aftermarket community time to do the R&D needed for this kind of project.

Put your list together. Save for it. When the parts come out, you'll already have the funds and still be one of the first to get it done.

I can honestly tell you I've been in the civic forums for the last 7 years and there hasn't even been mention of a swap like this.  

Thanks for the advice.  Believe me, I wouldn't attempt unless it did come out.  And yes, I'm already planning for one.

thanks again.